Remember Me

Goolphipp Award: 3.6 (Worth 11 Bucks)

Goolsby:
Well, it's no wonder why we went to see this movie. Pattz and the promise of a teaser trailer for Eclipse - we're suckers.

This movie sort of grows on you, but only after you forgive it for it's extremely slow place. This movie takes its sweet time on getting to the point. I would say that this movie doesn't follow a typical plot line. It is more of a snapshot of someone's life. Sure, you get the background like any plot, but it's only in the interaction between characters that it all comes out. Once you accept the slow meandering pace, it starts to get good.

Who stole the show? A little girl. Ruby Jerins plays the younger sister Caroline to the lost older brother Tyler, played by Robert Pattinson. Every scene she was in, she steals the stage. I was reminded of Jae Head from The Blind Side. These up and coming actors are grade-A all the way.

The ending packed a punch for me. I had done no research on this film and was a little surprised at how it ended. The title of course hints at someone dying... Remember Me... "Someone's got to die," is what we kept saying during the previews. I won't spoil anything, but it was handled very well.

Some odd things, Pattz's kissing style is exactly the same as in the Twilight series. It was strange to see him opposite someone other than Kristen Stewart. Emilie de Ravin played the role of Ally Craig, Tyler's love interest. I'm familiar with her from Roswell, but hadn't seen her in a while. All the performances were okay. Pierce Brosnan plays a strong father role, and I was impressed with his ability to cover up his accent. Kudos. I wish there were more similarities between the son and father.

Goolsby overall: 3.75
I was expecting horrible and was surprised.

Phipps:
Well, as Goolsby said, you go into this movie knowing that someone is going to die. So, I wasn't all that surprised, but I felt that it was done well...and respectfully, I might add. I think that covers the biggest point of controversy for Remember Me.

As Goolsby said, the pace was incredibly slow. So slow that we pretended to slit our wrists a couple of times, which is actually quite disrespectful since one of the themes in Remember Me is suicide. I felt like I lost two years of my life in this movie. That being said, I've sat through worse...such as The Assassination of Jesse James (which made watching paint dry sound like attending the Superbowl). The cause of the slow pace was lack of plot, this movie is completely character driven.

The actors portraying those characters did a great job. I swear, Pierce Brosnan never gives a bad performance, and it was a good transition role for him too - playing the older guy/dad roles. Pattz is learning, and my one complaint is that he needs to learn to quit looking away on important lines/scenes. In life, when people deliver those lines, we generally look people in the face. That's about my only complaint. Ruby Jerins reminded me of Dakota Fanning in terms of acting ability. I agree with Goolsby, she stole every scene.

At the end of the day, I cared about the characters. And while the ending was tough to watch, all the conflict had been wrapped up in a tidy bow, which made the ending tragic, but not senseless. In fact, I'd say the last 5 minutes of the movie were the best moments.


Phipps overall: 3.5
For the last 5 minutes.

Contact us at goolphipp@gmail.com.

It's Complicated

Phipp award: 3.5 (Worth 11 Bucks)

Phipps:
I saw this movie with a bunch of women I go to church with. And we all laughed a lot. It's Complicated was a solid good time. This was a good transition movie for Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin, and Steve Martin. Caters to the older crowd, but the humor was basically universal. It was a good look at divorce, and how it affects people in general...and how it affects your kids. I think my favorite character was Harley, played by John Krasinski, the future son-in-law and the only one privy to all the secretive happenings. He made me laugh. Overall, it's a fun movie. It's not as raunchy as you might think...for those who are worried about it. And it was nice to see a bit of Santa Barbara...which reminded me of Ojai. Anyway, if you have a chance, see this movie...it's actually a romantic comedy that lives up to the genre.

Oh, and one more thing, I'd kill to have Jane's (Streep) kitchen before the remodel. It was amazing.

Phipps overall: 3.5
A good time.

Contact us at goolphipp@gmail.com.

Dear John

Goolphipp award: 3.8 (Worth 11 Bucks)

Goolsby:

We're suckers for a good love story. I really enjoyed this movie. I understand why they marketed this movie the way they did - with it following in the footsteps of the now classic Notebook, but I felt the real gem of this movie was not the main romance. The on screen bond between Channing Tatum and Richard Jenkins was really special to watch. Jenkins plays John's developmentally challenged father. It was never clarified if the father was autistic or suffered from Asperger's Syndrome, but either way, Jenkins did a stellar job. Whenever the two were on screen together they stole the whole shebang. Kudos for one of the best father-son performances I've ever seen. I would also say that their relationship was more profound and intense than the chemistry between Tatum and Amanda Seyfried. I must say, the father-son duo brought the most water works from me.

I have never read a Nicholas Sparks book, but I enjoyed the current plot setting of this story. John meets Savannah while on leave, and ends up enlisting for a further stay. We get to follow his journey through the 9/11 attack and onward. Unlike a period piece, I think this story hit home a bit harder for some people.

The soundtrack was also well placed and matched. It never felt too over powering or interfered with the movie.

Goolsby overall: 4.25

Bring the tissues.

Phipps:

I liked this movie. I definitely cried...and probably would have bawled like a baby if the group of ladies in front of us hadn't been talking up a storm. I think what I liked most about this movie is it didn't feel fake. I mean, the characters didn't do anything extraordinary...they weren't super special. Instead, they felt like ordinary folk living an ordinary life, which is in no way a dig. I like romances that are realistic (as well as sweet). I don't think this movie matches The Notebook, and I don't think it will be as widely embraced by men. So, it might be best to keep this a Girls Night Out movie...then you can let yourself get all splotchy from crying. As Goolsby said, the father-son aspect of this movie was amazing. It was difficult to watch, but you understood why things were the way they were. One more thing, Channing Tatum is a pretty decent crier, and that's important when you are trying to build your career. I would like to see him in a role that incorporated less action, even though he excels in projecting emotion through action. As a whole, Dear John didn't disappoint.

Phipps overall: 3.5

A snapshot of real life.

Contact us at goolphipp@gmail.com.

The Book of Eli

Goolphipp award: 3.5 (Worth 11 Bucks)

Goolsby:

When I watched this movie I was not focusing on the religious aspects.

The plot was fine. The acting was great. The shooting style fit well. All in all though, I expected more. I did appreciate the little details. I liked how the water source was provided by cave lakes. The post apocalyptic world that was created was in sync and complete. I appreciate the survival aspect of this movie. I also liked an old couple that we meet towards the end of the movie. I love resourceful characters.

Phipps and I had to agree to disagree when discussing the ending of this movie. I won't give it away since it is the main point of the movie... but I would be interested in what other people had to say about Eli's revelation.

From a non-religious view, I think the ultimate message or messages, that this movie gave were well portrayed and placed. What I took from it was - What do you have left when everything is gone? What do you really need when everything is gone?

Goolsby overall: 3

Solid movie.

Phipps:

I thought this movie was out together well. Everything made sense from the post-apocalyptic point of view. I've heard people complain about the color palette, but it makes sense if this certain "flash" bleached and burned the world. The cinematography was highly stylized, and that bugged me through most of the movie, until the plot explained it. Although, the fighting in this movie was smartly choreographed and planned. It was quick and dirty. Let's talk plot. Yes, this movie is about the last Bible on earth, but this is not a religious movie. The Book is merely a plot device, and it works well. It doesn't beat you over the head, yet the Book of Eli won't offend Christians. It walks the middle of the road quite well. Of course, the cast was top notch with Denzel Washington and Gary Oldman leading the pack. Okay, now that I've talked about all the main points, I'm going to get a little more personal. I'm going to own this movie someday. I was a little afraid of the use of the Bible in any way, because historically, films have done an amazing job at misrepresentation. This movie did not misrepresent the Bible, which I appreciated, being a Christian kid myself. I was simply amazed at this movie. It reminded me of the power of God, and I prayed and cried all the way home. This movie just made me love God more. I want to say more, but it would spoil it. All I can say is this movie is worth seeing.

Phipps overall: 4

Taught me something, it was smartly done, and I'm going to buy it.

Contact us at goolphipp@gmail.com.

Up in the Air

Goolphipp Award: 3.4 (Worth 11 Bucks)

Phipps:
We've all heard the hype around this movie in some way or another. Could be you've heard that George Clooney did a stellar job, and they would be right. Clooney has the Cary Grant sparkle and charm, which is perfect for this movie. Could be you heard about all those awards nominations for this movie, and just might want to watch it to see if it deserved all of them. While I don't think that it was the best movie this awards season, I have to say that the script (aside from the ending...or lack thereof) was pretty great. It had the humor jabs juggling the drama without being cheeseball. (I do have to say, the idea of downsizing all our material possessions in our "backpack" is absolutely a splendid idea. It kind of inspires me to clean out my house.) Let's address the ending - warning! spoiler might be on the horizon - I hate movies where nothing really changes. I suppose the kid learns something...but it doesn't seem like he decides to really make an effort to reforge relationships with his family or have more of a life. Ryan (Clooney) just seems resigned to his life in the sky. What a downer. And that lady was a jerk.

Moving onto other points, Anna Kendrick, of the Twilight Saga fame, shows she has something to bring to the table as far as acting chops. I was impressed, and I hope she continues to enhance her repertoire.

It was good to see Sam Elliott, too.

This movie was well-done in all respects - cinematography, sound mixing, acting, directing, writing - except the last 5 minutes made it a downer. I don't anticipate a lot of DVD sales on this one, folks. Nobody wants to be stabbed in the heart twice.

Phipps overall: 2.75
I can't see past the nose-dive at the end.

Goolsby:
Phipps has already warned you of the not so great ending. I'm okay with endings that don't always end up on the bright side of things, but this movie seemed like it was headed somewhere else. The whole movie builds up this character Ryan. We see that his life is isolated and always in transit. He really has no roots. Even when he visits his family, he has been removed too long to even connect at first. I think this movie tries to show that relationships, no matter what kind, take work. Lots of it.

The backpack Phipps talks about above is a neat concept in the movie. The constant moving Ryan is a motivational speaker who sends the message, what really matters in life? When it comes down to it, his travel size carry on is really Ryan's backpack. The things that he cares about turns out to be all about his transatory life.

The point I'm trying to make is that this movie builds up Ryan's realization, but he ultimately - spoiler - does nothing with his realization. He ends up alone. Thinking back on this movie though, I guess it is realistic. Some people end up alone, in spite of even realizing they have other options. I don't think I would want to see this again, but as I write this, I've decided it was a good message. Perhaps it will inspire me to make the other decision - to live a connected life.

Oh, and one more thing. There is a speech given by Alex (Clooney's love interest), played by Vera Farmiga, that basically outlines everything she looks for in a man. The whole scene surrounding this list hits home, and hits it hard.

Goolsby overall: 4
Hmm, I won't see it again, but I can't give it less than this. I took a lot from this movie.

Contact us at goolphipp@gmail.com.

The Lovely Bones

Goolphipp Award: 4.4 (No Peanuts Chucked)

Phipps:
The Lovely Bones made me tear up and made my chin wobble. Let me be honest, I haven't read the book, so I don't know if Peter Jackson did it justice, but I do know that his version, however different it is from the novel, is a movie worth seeing. The blurring of heaven and earth, called the "in-between," where the spirit of Susie lived, was done well - cohesive and interesting. All the necessary parts were foreshadowed in an balantly obvious way, but the pieces couldn't be put together until we (and Susie) were ready.

Performances in this movie were just wonderful. The very Irish Saoirse Ronan brought Susie Salmon to life, and did a phenomenal job with the range of emotion expected of her. Susan Sarandon stole all of her scenes as the grandmother, who smokes and drinks throughout. Stanley Tucci. What can you say about him? He was nominated for a Golden Globe for this role, and it is well-deserved. He was the perfect serial killer. In fact, I think all the performances were great.

As a whole, this movie is intense. I walked out of the theater overwhelmed and discombobulated. It is an experience. I came to care about the Salmon family, and I wanted to see Stanley Tucci take a long walk off a short pier. I don't know if I'll ever watch this movie again, because it's so intense and emotional, but I don't think I'll ever forget it.

In fact, the only thing I have against the movie is that the climax of the movie is a kiss, which is more of a book issue anyway.

Phipps overall: 4.75
My chin actually wobbled...doesn't happen for just anything.

Goolsby:
I wasn't as excited for this movie as Phipps. I was curious, but that's about it. That being said, I went in pretty blank. I think Mark Wahlberg plays a great father role in this movie. he brought just the right amount of emotion for his fallen daughter. On the other hand I thought Rachel Weisz was missing the "it" factor. She did a good job, but I didn't feel her performance matched her on screen husband's performance.

What I really like about this movie was the score and music selection. I thought the music added a nice cherry on the top for the movie. It was perfectly woven in and the main song really reflected the "in-between" world.

Maybe someday I'll read the book. Imagine how hard it would be to write the "in-between" world. Oi.

Goolsby overall: 4
I welled up, didn't spill over though. Commanding, but not the full hype.

Contact us at goolphipp@gmail.com.

The Great Buck Howard

Goolphipp Award: 4.25

Audience: 18 +

Goolsby: Although there is only small adult content, the nature and underlying theme and message of the film would be appreciated by a more adult crowd. Take your mom and grandma with you, I bet they’d get a kick out of it.

Phipps: For you conservative people, I thought this movie is alright for you: minimal sex, minimal language. You could probably let your teenagers watch The Great Buck Howard with you…no younger than 14, I’d say.

Where’s the Drama: Subtle
Like that thirst-quenching glass of not-too-sweet lemonade you never knew you wanted.

Phipps: If you were looking in Blockbuster for this movie, would you check under Comedy or Drama? Goolsby and I decided it was more of a drama – a funny and quirky drama. When you think about it, life can be filled with drama…and also be full of funny moments and strange characters. That’s what I liked best about this movie. It was unafraid of both sides of the coin – to be both dramatic and ridiculous – not unlike its title character.

Goolsby: Finding yourself… forced into law school, double ugh. Forced into a cube, double ugh again. During the end, when Troy watches the show as an audience member, you're sort of on the edge of your seat right there with him. This movie delivers the random suspense delicately and I appreciated that.

Storyline: Finding your place
An unhappy law student finds himself working with an old magician turned mentalist.

Goolsby: The movie starts off a bit slow, but builds beautifully. And once again, we have some throwbacks to the central valley – Bakersfield and Stockton, woohoo.

Phipps: Gosh, for the 18 and older crowd, this is a breath of fresh air. What…you don’t want to be high-powered contract lawyer – GASP! This movie has a good message – sometimes you have to take a strange and random job to learn something important. For all of us that work the 9-to-5 shift, this was two hours of escape to…well, dream along with Troy Gable (Colin Hanks). It’s a slow start, but it’s inventive and quirky.

Delivery: Grade-A class

Goolsby: What a treat! Papa Hanks and Baby Hanks unite, and boy they’ve got similar acting styles (better be careful Colin, don’t fall under Papa’s wing just because it’s there, make sure to carve out your own way). Colin Hanks does well as the soul-searching youngster, but he never seemed too contrived or cliché. Colin keeps the allure throughout the movie. And John! John Malkovich, as always, plays a character. John’s face towards the ending of the movie holds so much emotion. They’re both getting color photographs from me.

Phipps: Ok, ok. So Colin Hanks is the son of Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson…who cares? Kid has some acting chops…and not all of it from Dad…his mother’s subtle (yet solid) style is also there. I’ve got to admit – I did get quite a kick out of the team-up. Next movie, maybe Mom can join. Listen, he’s gorgeous and talented – and most importantly of all, he’s paid his dues with "Roswell," Orange County, Untraceable, House Bunny, and now Buck Howard. Emily Blunt also is gradually taking center stage, and delivers a good performance. What can I say about John Malkovich? He’s stellar. I hate to say this because the year is early, but I could see an Oscar or Globe nod. And you know what? I think I’d root for him.

Phipps overall: 4.5
I grabbed a free promotion poster at the Indie theater, and I’m going to hang it up in my cubicle. If that doesn’t say it all…I might just have to persuade you to see this movie via hypnosis.

Goolsby overall: 4
Isn’t that wild?!

Goolphipp rating: 4.25 (No Peanuts Chucked)
Doesn’t really get much better, folks.

Contact us at goolphipp@gmail.com.